Govt hopes new post office will be completed in 18 months
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis advised yesterday that the government is awaiting proposals for the construction of a new home for the General Post Office, which is currently under a lease at the Town Centre Mall.
Upon coming to office, the Davis administration pledged to review the lease, which became a contentious issue under the Minnis administration due to allegations of a conflict of interest involving former Cabinet Minister Brent Symonette.
Speaking to reporters outside Cabinet on the matter, Coleby-Davis said there is a paper before Cabinet on the issue.
“The lease doesn’t end for another two years,” she said.
“We put out a request for proposals (RFP)and we are just waiting for the review of those proposals that came in for the construction of a home for the post office.”
She noted that that RFP is expected to end this month and the expectation is for construction to begin on the new location by the end of the year.
“I am asking for less than 18 months to completion,” she added.
The current lease at Town Centre Mall is binding for five years — until February 28, 2024.
The government pays out an estimated $820,083.60 each year to use Town Centre Mall, including the annual rent, value-added tax (VAT) and additional annual rents due.
The lease agreement stipulates that the government may also have to pay for the premises to be returned to its original state when the lease ends.
The government is also responsible for utility bills, including all connection fees and deposits, as well as property and personal injury insurance.
The lease indicates that the government would also have to pay any associated legal fees if litigation arises.
With the post office having its own building, we can also expand the services, we can modernize the services, we can change what we offer, we can add new services and that brings a larger revenue stream which will, in turn, take care of itself.
– Minister of Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis.
The former Christie administration had started a project with contractors for a new post office by the old City Market plaza on Tonique Williams Darling Highway, but that deal fell through after the Minnis administration took office in 2017.
Coleby-Davis said the same company that began that project has placed a proposal before the government and “would probably be one of those that we consider”.
She underscored the importance of the country having a post office, saying the lease is putting a lot of strain on the public purse without the government actually owning the building.
“With the post office having its own building, we can also expand the services, we can modernize the services, we can change what we offer, we can add new services and that brings a larger revenue stream which will, in turn, take care of itself,” she said.
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